Thursday's Sports In Brief

The Associated PressPublished: November 4, 2011 6:37AM

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- The Idaho State Board of Education gave Boise State permission to pursue membership with the Big East Conference, a move that would mean more revenue and give the Broncos a clear path to the Bowl Championship Series.

The board voted 7-1 to give university President Bob Kustra the authority to move Boise State's football program out of the Mountain West Conference and into the Big East for the 2013 season.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The head of the Bowl Championship Series told college and university presidents that the Obama administration was unlikely to challenge the legality of its selection process -- and argued that even if the system were to be found illegal, so would a playoff.

Bill Hancock, the BCS executive director, made the assurance in a Feb. 4, 2010, memo to the group's presidential oversight committee after the Obama administration said it was considering several steps to review the legality of the BCS. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the memo from a state open records request filed with Western Kentucky University, whose president, Gary Ransdell, serves on the oversight committee.

BASEBALL

NEW YORK (AP) -- Baseball's free-agent signing season began with Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Aramis Ramirez available in a market far stronger on hitting than starting pitching.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt must pay his former wife and ex-team CEO Jamie McCourt $131 million by the end of April as part of their divorce settlement.

A binding settlement that was signed by the former couple last month calls for the lump sum to be paid in cash and would be tax-free.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux was given permission to interview for managerial openings with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, though any talking will have to wait until he recovers from a bout with laryngitis.

Maddux hopes to meet with both teams next week.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A person familiar with the search told The Associated Press that the St. Louis Cardinals have begun interviewing for their managing vacancy with a pair of lower-profile candidates, Joe McEwing and Chris Maloney.

McEwing was named third base coach for new Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura earlier this week after success at the minor league level. Maloney manages the Cardinals' Triple-A Memphis affiliate.

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians have given Boston permission to interview bench coach Sandy Alomar to be the Red Sox' next manager.

Alomar recently completed his second season coaching first base for Cleveland manager Manny Acta.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander was selected player of the year in voting by the Major League Baseball Players Association, becoming the second pitcher to earn the honor.

Verlander beat out Boston first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson for the Players Choice Award. The only other pitcher to win it was Boston's Pedro Martinez in 1999.

OBITUARY

Matty Alou, once part of an all-Alou outfield for the San Francisco Giants with brothers Felipe and Jesus, died in his native Dominican Republic. He was 72.

PRO FOOTBALL

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rex Ryan is teaming up with Adam Sandler for a new movie that casts the Jets coach in an unlikely role -- a New England Patriots fan.

Sandler told NFL Network's Rich Eisen for his podcast Thursday that Ryan is a Boston-based "inexpensive" lawyer in the still untitled movie.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings' drive to line up state money for building a new football stadium regained momentum just hours after it had seemed to fall apart.

The team's lead allies in the House and Senate said they would introduce a detailed stadium proposal then air it in public hearings, with a goal of passing a plan before the regular legislative session starts in late January.

COLLEGES

HOUSTON (AP) -- NCAA President Mark Emmert said that university leaders across the country are "adamant" about never allowing students to be paid for playing and disputed the suggestion that adding up to $2,000 to athletic scholarships is a move in that direction.

Emmert spoke to the Houston Economic Club, a week after the Division I Board of Directors approved a set of sweeping reforms. The move included an option for conferences to add up to $2,000 annually to athletic scholarships.

GOLF

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) -- Brandt Snedeker will be out of golf the rest of the year to recover from hip surgery.

Snedeker, who won The Heritage in April and nearly earned a spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, had surgery Tuesday. He is not expected to compete for six to eight weeks.

SOCCER

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) -- Frank Klopas was picked as the Chicago Fire's head coach five months after he got the job on an interim basis.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Soccer has extended the suspension of New York Red Bulls defender Rafael Marquez to three games.

The Mexican national team captain was disciplined for firing a ball at the Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan following a playoff game Sunday.

PRO HOCKEY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nashville Predators have signed goaltender Pekka Rinne to a seven-year, $49 million contract.

TENNIS

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) -- Novak Djokovic cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Lukasz Kubot of Poland in the second round at the Swiss Indoors and seventh-seeded Andy Roddick recovered from losing the opening set to beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Roddick next plays Roger Federer, a four-time champion at his hometown event.